BNPB : Natural Disaster Drops but Casualties Soar 1,000 Percent
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19 December 2018 21:39 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) recorded a drop in the number of natural disasters that struck Indonesia throughout 2018 compared to the previous year. However, the 11.36 percent drop was followed by 1,000 percent rise in the number of casualties.
“Comparing the same period as per December 14, 2018, and the data in 2017, there was an 11.36 percent reduction,” said BNPB Chairman Willem Rampangilei while announcing the agency’s 2018 disaster evaluation report in East Jakarta today, Dec. 19.
According to Willem, 2017 recorded 361 deaths and losses caused by 2,737 disasters, meanwhile, 2018 recorded 4,231 casualties and losses from 2,416 disasters. The number of injuries is also staggering with 997 injuries in 2017 compared to 6,948 injuries this year.
He explained that the Lombok earthquake followed by the Palu tsunami was a major factor in the soaring number of casualties. The two natural disasters combined caused the death of 4,000 people which is unprecedented compared to the previous year.
The BNPB Chairman said that hydrometeorology disasters dominated 2018 which contributed to the fact that the effects of the 2018 series of natural disasters striking Indonesia to be considered as the worst since 2010.
TAUFIQ SIDDIQ
